A day in the life of a sahm

5:30 am- baby wakes up. I wait just hoping she will go back to sleep. Nope......she is babbling and calling "ma ma". So I get up. Mike changes her while I do some morning necessities....LOL.
6:00 am- She is playing on the floor while the other two are asleep. I am half comatose but upright and talking to Mike about the day, getting Christopher's clothes etc, preparing his lunch, and preparing the children's breakfast.
6:30 Hannah gets up and wants a cuddle, the baby starts crying for a bottle and Mike changes Hannah while I prepare the bottle and feed Jennifer.
7:00 am Christoper gets up the kids have breakfast and I try to convince the baby to go back to sleep because she is rubbing her eyes. Mike is leaving for work. I make sure all Christopher's stuff is in his backpack and put everything by the door.
7:20 am the little girl I babysit arrives, while I am getting Christopher, Hannah and Jennifer ready for the day.....clothes changed, hair combed, teeth brushed etc.
7:30 am feed the little girl I watch, Allie her breakfast, as she doesnt want to feed herself(age 2).
7:45 am Christopher leaves for school with carpool. Hannah is in the potty playing instead of pottying and Allie is playing. Jennifer is cranky and tired but refuses to sleep. I start a load of laundry(never did get back to this today)
8:00 am--put on kids educational program for a while..finally get baby down for a cat nap and make coffee. get clothes on instead of nightgown
8:30 am--break up arguement between Hannah and Allie and seperate them. Jennifer wakes up and I put her in the play pen with toys. Check my email and decide what I want for breaksfast.
9:00 am --finally I make my breakfast and sit down to eat. Children are playing nicely and happily. I give the kids a snack while I eat. Call my mother and chat and drink another cup of coffee.
9:30 am Craft time with the girls. Jennifer has fallen asleep in the play pen and I just let her stay....big believer in you leave sleeping babies alone.
10:00 am.....I give the girls blocks and toy tools to play with, clean the kitchen, do some more kitchen duties etc. decide what kids will have for lunch, fix the now awake baby a bottle and feed her.
10:30 am--baby playing in exersaucer.....I supervise potty time as the girls have decided it might be a nice place to play. They are asking to eat again so I make their lunch.
11:00 am I give the girls lunch. Then plan naptime. Nap is a no go....no one is napping today. get the girls started on another activity, cuddle with the baby and give her meds to her.
12:00 pm clean up the girls lunch stuff, check online blogs etc, put baby in crib, and she finally goes to sleep. Try to keep girls half way quiet.
12:30 baby awake again.....girls were too loud. Get them playing dolls and try to calm baby, change diapers etc.
1:00 pm girls fighting, Hannah hitting...she goes in naughty corner. Allie sits by Hannah in naughty corner providing comfort...it is so cute I have to take a picture. Baby playing in play pen after some floor time. do some house chores etc.
1:30 give baby a bottle, she drains it this time unlike the last bottle
2:00 pm change diapers, check pulls ups get everyone ready to go pick up Christopher from school.
2:15 pm walk to Christopher's school with Hannah and Allie in stroller and Jennifer in snugglie.
2:45 pm home again, check Christopher's backpack. Praise him for completing seatwork on time, check for notes from teacher etc. try to put baby down for a nap........go into 15 times to lay her down and put binky back in and finally realize she is not going to sleep.
3:15 pm Allie's mom arrives, house is chaotic and noisy and a mess of toys. CLEAN UP TIME....all kids help with clean up.
3:30 pm Allie leaves and I put baby down for a nap......she is out like a light. The oldest two are having quiet time while I sit at the computer.
now here is how the rest of the day is planned.(and I realize I forgot to eat lunch, no wonder I am starving).
4:30 pm......put on chicken to bake and cut up potatoes for mashed potatoes. do some cleaning again.......
5:30 pm prepeare rest of dinner, kids will have free play tonight......their rooms are clean now so I dont have to worry about clean up time. should be time for baby's bottle
6:00 pm dinner followed by baths and clean up time. will offer baby table food if she wants it.
7:00 pm family time, prayers etc.
8:00 pm.......kids in bed! Mommy's tv time......baby will probably play with daddy for a bit.
8:30 pm baby in bed sleeping......hopefully.
11:00 pm last bottle for baby for night.......news, shower, bed. and it all starts over tomorrow. This isn't the same each day.......some days I actually get the laundry finished.....LOL. Somedays I dont get out of my jammies til noon........LOL.
I clean through out the day so it doesnt have to be all done at once. no wonder I am tired at the end of the day.......LOL.
I need to get more of a schedule now that I will be babysitting on a regular basis. Hannah and Allie did not nap today.......that has to change! But I have to get them up from naps by 2 in order to pick up my son.......so that means they will need lunch by 11 and be asleep by noon to get a 2 hour nap. I have to figure in laundry and cleaning etc.
oh and I hope to work in some devotional time in there.......instead of leaving it out or for last. I will get this somehow.....LOL

Wednesday........happenings

Today I am going mall walking with a friend and hopefully find myself something to wear to the Valentine's Banquet. I was given a gift card for 50 bucks and haven't used it yet. I hope I can find a sale.......LOL. Of course I was planning to be out a while ago....but Jennifer decided to actually take a nap........LOL. Why is it they always do the opposite of what you want. LOL. Christopher is at school but his asthma is not good. couging, coughing coughing and needing treaments......sigh. Hannah well I have to hide anything from her that could POSSIBLY be used as a drawing or coloring implement. Yesterday, she colored on the computer screen with write on wipe off markers.......NOPE it does NOT all come off of a computer screen. She also colored her face and self WITH MY lipstick.......so now I need new lipstick......LOL. What else........hmmmmm not sure......but now that I have had my coffee I think I will go brush my teeth and see if the baby is awake yet.

I will be a good mommy and not wake her up......I am so tempted to just wake her up.....but she has slept so poorly lately......that just would not be nice.

Dreams require action.

come in many different shapes and sizes. There are those that we dream while we sleep that make no sense. There are dreams that God gives us while we sleep to teach us something, show us something we need to know, or perhaps have us pray for someone in a time of need. But, dreams are also those hopes, wishes, desires for the future. Those dreams can be for our children, our spouse, our friends, gamily or even ourselves. One of my dreams is to be a writer and to actuallly be published. I want to write Christian novels and children's books. I would love to write a devotional. One thing to meet that goal is to work on my writing style. I tend to be lazy when blogging and forget punctuation or thought completion. I tend to ramble from topic to topic. So in fulfilling my dreams I plan to write at least one blog a week that actually has better flow, grammar, spelling and the things required to become a true author. Dreams are attainable and I truly believe they are God given.

The dreams I have for my children are basically that they will love God and walk humbly before their God. Yet that dream requires from me to put something into action. That something is prayer, reading the Word of God with them, teaching them and nurturing them in the things of God. It requires me being a good example to them. What a humbling thought to think that I am responsible for those deams coming true. With the help of the Lord these dreams can come true as well.

The dreams I have for my husband are that he walk closer with our Lord. That he grow in ministry in spirit and in truth. That also requires action from me. I must pray for him, support him, and encourage him. I must let him know that he is important to me and that he matters. Our husbands often need more encouragement from us than they will ever admit. They need us to be their helpmates. That requires patience and prayer from us. It requires obedience to our Lord. That too is an humbling thought.

Finally, I have dreams for friends and family that they will know and serve the Master. Again, this requires action from me. I must live Jesus before them. I must treat them as Jesus would. I must not condemn their failures but minister to them in their pain. I must forgive what needs to be forgiven and pray for those that refuse to treat me the way they should. I must let bygones be bygones and let Jesus fix them. My duty is to love them, show them Jesus and pray for them.

So as I think about dreams; I realize all dreams take action. Even those while we are sleeping can require action. Either we must wake up and realize it was a dream or perhaps wake up an pray for the person in our dreams. Those dreams may require us to laugh at them and share them to make someone else laugh. Or perhaps the dream requires no other action but prayer. Whatever the action, dreams require action. I pray that the Lord will help me react to whatever type of dream it is in the way He would want. So let the dreams come and let me please God even in my dreams.

When you make mistakes as a Mom

It always has a way of making you feel guilty, overwhelmed and like weeping. Yet as parents, we all make mistakes. Why is it, we as moms feel like we have to be perfect? We feel like we dont stimulate their minds enough, read enough, hug enough and the list goes on. Where DOES that little voice come from......well it defnitely isn't from the Lord. The Lord is not a Lord of condemnation. We do that to ourselves and listen to lies of the enemy of our souls. Then we get down on ourselves and that does NOT help the situation. When we do make mistakes, if we could step back, pray and realize we can't be perfect, only Jesus is perfect it would help. What makes us stronger is admitting our mistakes, repenting, and asking forgiveness. Showing our children that we make mistakes but are willing to admit them and repent teaches them a valuable lesson. It teaches them it is okay to make mistakes and that the world doesn't end when we do. It teaches them responsibility and how to repent and ask forgiveness. Even today when I lost it with my older two......I was down on myself for a lot of the day, until I realized I was making myself feel so sad, alone and overwhelmed. No one was doing it but me. My kids are ever forgiving and my Lord is always there to pick me up. He loves me no matter what. My children love me no matter what. Losing it with my children does not damage them for life as long as I admit my mistakes and correct them to the best of my ability. Mom's in our society are expected to have the perfect home, the perfect body, the perfect children, the perfect discipline method and oh so much more. But that is not reality. Reality is wearing clothes that your child just puked on while trying to put on the laundry and keeping the kids from drawing blood in the middle of a fight over a toy they didn't even acknowledge yesterday. Reality is going on just a few hours of sleep and starting the same housekeeping project 10 times over because one or the other little person needed mommy. Reality is letting children know they are more important than an immaculate house, a perfect mommy figure, and the perfect outfit with matchign makeup. Reality is your child saying even though you havent had the chance to shower or wash said spit up off.........You are the prettiest mommy in the whole world. THAT is reality. It is the joy of your little baby saying "Mama" and lifting her hands to you with perfect joy on her face. It is the sweetness of your little girl saying "I just like you mommy" as she pats her pink shirt cause you both happen to be wearing pink. That is reality and the mistakes fade into the background when love comes on the scene.

Tuesday Snapshot

Reading: Hmmmmmm nothing today.......who had time.

Drinking: Glass of milk and eating a much needed chocolate chip cookie.......cookie and milk therapy........hopefully it will do wonders.

Wishing: I could have a few moments of alone time........

Correction: I need time AWAY from the house by MYSELF........or I will pull myself bald

Considering: Going to the store when Mike gets home all by myself even if I only look at stuff.


Feeling: Tired, overwhelmed, weepy.......frustrated.

Goals: To not make the children stay in time out all day.......LOL. so tempting. To get Jennifer to sleep.
To Do List: I dont even want to put all that I have to do.....it is miles long.

Things Accomplished: Dinner started-beans soaking, pork for beans boiling on stove, sausage for dinner defrosting. Laundry started


Challenge: To find joy in the journey and list what you can find joy in today even if it is a hard day

My joy for the day is: Mike gets off at 4:30 today and will be home for a family dinner instead of him having to work until 10 pm and his day off is tomorrow and I am taking the girls and going window shopping at least.
.

Manic Monday

What is manic about today? EVERYTHING...........LOL. First my youngest daughter was awake more than she slept last night. Granted I took her to the dr today and she has an ear infection, poor wee tyke....but I am exhausted. Hannah is being cantankerous as any 3 year old can be and my 6 year old is crabby. So that should just about do it for the manic part, but to top it off the house was strung and strewed and I had to invite the Senior pastor's wife in because she was helping me get the baby in from the dr's. Embarrassing..but then again.......I have had little to no sleep. Right now the baby is screaming her wee head off and I know she is sick.......but I had to put her down for a bit because I simply need a break from the crying. I love my baby, but sometimes when they are crying like that you need to put them down a few moments or scream yourself. I have NO idea what we are doing for dinner. At least tomorrow has got to be better. I pray the sun is out. As I come in to the end of the day....I wonder how to apply what pastor preached about yesterday. Finding joy through doing things as unto the Lord and joy in the journey. Easier said than done. I havent even had time to breathe today much less read the Word of God or really pray other than GOD HELP ME NOW......LOL. I have good life, filled with blessings and joy but yet at times it can be so hard being a wife, a mom, and associate pastor's wife. I feel inadequate many times. But then I have to remember it is God who makes me adequate. I CAN do ALL things through HIM who strengthens me. Yet is can be hard to live that......when the baby is crying because her ear hurts and cause she puked, your 3 year old has just colored on stuff she should not color on and your 6 year old acts like a moody teenager that is 6 going on 16. Your husband is at work......you forgot to get anything out for dinner and all you want is sleep. That is when it is hard not to focus on the manic part of Monday. So my prayer is that on days like today.........I will find joy in at least one thing and keep on moving and knowing that tomorrow will be better. God is faithful. Now I must close and go pick up my wail;ing baby, take the markers away from my 3 year old and correct the 6 year old's attitude, and pray with all my heart my dear husband decides to call and ask if he wants me to bring home something for dinner.